1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to exercise devices, and more particularly, to exercise devices for strengthening muscles of the lower back and abdominal muscles. Specifically, this invention relates to a device for imparting extension to the spine of a user.
2. Description of the Related Art
Lower back pain is a common complaint. Often lower back pain is associated with sedentary lifestyles. Posture responsible for lower back pain may be related to occupations or lifestyles which include a large amount of sitting and/or leaning forward. Poor lifting and bending posture may also result in lower back pain. Recently, it has been recognized that a majority of back pain is mechanical in origin, and that physical activity is the cornerstone of low-back rehabilitation.
One recognized treatment for chronic lower back pain is physical exercise including extension of the spine. As used herein, "extension of the spine" refers to movement which bends the spine backwards through contraction of the lumbar extensor muscles. In the past, exercises for extending and strengthening the lower back have included floor exercises and exercises using inversion therapy devices. A floor exercise program for developing back strength may be difficult to implement and maintain for some patients who have weak backs or are poorly conditioned. Furthermore, the amount of spinal extension provided by such floor exercises is typically limited.
Inversion therapy devices are typically relatively expensive and bulky, and relatively difficult to operate by one person. Common inversion therapy devices include those having a tiltable table for supporting a user in a number of different positions. Such devices typically include foot clamps attached at one end of the table for suspending the patient when the table is placed in an inverted position. A user typically mounts such a device with the table in near-upright position and straps their feet to foot clamps at the base of the table. The user may then be positioned in various positions of partial and full inversion by tilting and rotating the table backwards. Besides being bulky and relatively expensive, such inversion devices may cause or aggravate health problems for hypertensive individuals. In addition, while inversion devices may provide some unloading of the spinal column of the lower back by virtue of gravity inversion, no spinal extension is typically imparted to the user due to the flat surface of the table.